Drum anchor

ABSTRACT

A device for fixing the spacing between a stool and a musical instrument, and particularly a drum, including a stool attachment member and an instrument attachment member, each of the attachment members being connected at their free ends to a bridge member for longitudinal and for swinging adjustment relative to each other.

United States Patent 1 Winkler 54 DRUlVI ANCHOR 76] Inventor: Tommy H. Winkler, 204 Wiley Street, Madison, Tenn. 37204 [22] Filed: March 13,1972

[21] Appl. No.: 233,976

[52] US. Cl ..84/42l, 84/453 [51] Int. Cl. ..G10d 13/02 [58] Field of Search ..84/411, 421, 453

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,505,882 I 5/1950 Cassato ..84/421 3,096,677 7/1963 Ryan ..84/421 51 Jan. 16, 1973 v FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 590,494 3/1925 France ..84/421 Primary Examiner-Richard B. Wilkinson Assistant Examiner.lohn F. Gonzales Attorney-Harrington A. Lackey [5 7 ABSTRACT A device for fixing the spacing between a stool and a musical instrument, and particularly a drum, including a stool attachment member and an instrument attachment member, each of the attachment members being connected at their free ends to a bridge member for longitudinal and for swinging adjustment relative to each other.

, 10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a device for fixedly spacing a stool from a musical instrument, and more particularly to a drum anchor.

Musicians, and particularly drummers frequently have difficulty in maintaining a fixed spatial relationship between themselves and the instrument which they are playing. Normally, the musicians stool has legs which rest upon the floor, and the musical instrument,

} such as a drum or high-hat., has legs which rest upon the floor. Because of the force applied to the instruments by the musician, and particularly a drummer, the instrument tends to slide away from the musician's stool, particularly on a highly polished dance floor, bandstand or other platform or floor upon which musicians usually play.

The most relevant prior art, known to the applicant is the US. Pat. No. 2,505,882, issued to Cassato on May 2, 1950, for DRUM SUPPORTHCassatos drum support is adapted to overcome the above difficulty, by fixedly spacing a drum relative to a drummers stool. However, Cassatos drum support is limited in the amount and types of positions in whichthe drum may be spaced from the drummers stool.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The drum anchor made in accordance with this inform of an elongated flat bar having an opening at one end for receiving one leg of a stool. The other end of the stool attachment member is provided with a longitudinal series of bolt holes adapted to register with corresponding holes in an elongated bridge member, so that the bridge member can be longitudinally adjusted in various fixed positions relative to the stool attachment member. The drum anchor also includes an instrument attachment member, and more specifically a forked-shaped drum attachment member having hooked ends adapted to partially encircle the heads of the drum tightening keys. The opposite end of the drum attachment member is connected by a pivot bolt and a locking bolt riding in a semi-circular slot in the other end of the bridge member, to permit swinging adjustable movement between the bridge member and the drum attachment member. Thus, the longitudinal space between the stool and the drum may be readily adjusted by removing and inserting threaded bolts into corresponding mating apertures in the stool attachment member and the bridge member. Furthermore, the angle or attitude between the drum and the'stool can be readily adjusted to infinitely variable fixed positions by loosening a bolt in the arcuate slot of the bridge member andpivoting the drum attachment member relative to the bridge member until the desired angular position is obtained.

Furthermore, the drum attachment member is 7 adapted to be swung through approximately 180 about its pivot bolt to fold beneath the bridge member and stool attachment member in an inoperative position to facilitate handling and carrying and "to minimize storage space.

2 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a drum anchor made in accordance with this invention in operative position supporting a stool and drum in spaced relationship;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the drum anchor disclosed in FIG. 1 in adjusted pivoted or swinging position;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the drum anchor of FIG. 1 in collapsed inoperative position;

FIG. 4 is a section taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a modified form of the invention, portions of which are disassembled.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings in more detail, FIG. 1 discloses a drum anchor 10 made in accordance with this invention supported upon a horizontal platform or floor 11 and attached to a musician's stool 12 and a drum 13. The stool 12 includes a seat 14, a pedestal 1 5 and diverging supporting struts 16. The drum 13 is provided with tightening rods 18, the ends of which form transverse T-heads or keys 19.

The drum anchor 10 includes basically three parts or elements, namely, a stool attachment member 20, a drum attachment member 21 and a bridge member 22.

The stool attachment member 20 is preferably an elongated flat bar slightly enlarged at one end to form a pedestal receiving opening 24 to loosely fit around the bottom of the pedestal 15 of the stool 12. Preferably, the pedestal receiving opening 24 is provided with an upstanding flange 25 to provide a better engagement between the opening 24 and the pedestal 15. The op-- posite or connecting end portion 26 of the stool attachment member 20 is adapted to be connected to one end portion of the bridge member 22 for longitudinal adjustment. As disclosed in the drawings, the connecting end portion 26 is provided with a pair of upstanding threaded bolts 27. These bolts 27 are adapted to register with and be inserted through any adjacent pair of longitudinally spaced bolt holes 28 in the bridge member 22, and to be secured in fixed position by the nuts 29. As disclosed in the drawings, the bridge member 22 is fixed in an extreme retracted position relative to the stool attachment member 20.

The drum attachment member 21 is provided with a pair of forked, flat arms or bars 31 and 32 joined together in a base portion 33. The free end of each attachment arm 31 and 32 forms upwardly curved or curled, spaced apart fingers or claws 34 and 35, respectively, adapted to engage a T-head 19 on opposite sides of the corresponding tightening rod 18. v

The base portion 33 of the drum attachment member 21 is also provided with a pair of upstanding bolts, a pivot bolt 37 and a locking bolt 38. The pivot bolt 37 extends up through a corresponding hole in the enlarged end portion 40 of the bridge member 22 and secured thereto by the nut 41. The locking bolt 38 extends up through a circular slot 42 formed in the enlarged end portion 40, closed at one end, but opening at 43 in the end edge of the enlarged bridge portion 40. Thus, by loosening the nut 41, the drum attachment member 21 may swing or pivot about the pivotbolt 37 i as a center, with the lockingbolt 38 riding or moving throughout the length of the arcuate slot 42. Thus, when-the drum attachment member 21 has been pivoted about the bolt 37 to a desired pivoted position, the drum attachment member 21 may be locked relative to, the bridge member 22 by' a wing nut 44 ,thre'adedly engaging and tightened'upon the locking bolt 38 The open-ended slot 42 permits the drum attachment member, 21 to be swung completely beneath the stool attachment member 20, as best disclosed in FIGS. 3 and 4, in order to collapse the drum anchor into a compact inoperative assembled position, without separating any of the main elements 20, 21 and 22 of the anchor 10. i t

In the operation of the anchor 10, if collapsed in the position of FIG. 3, the drum attachment member 21 may be extended by merely pivoting the drum attachment member 21 about the pivot bolt 37 until the anchor 10 is extended in its position disclosed in FIG. 1 and the solid-line'position of FIG. 2. As the drum ata counter-clockwise position. asviewed in FIG. 3, the, locking bolt 38 will; enter the open end 43 of a slot 42 and ride'in the slot- 42 until it is in the positions disclosed in Flo. 2. "The wing nut 44 may 1 then be tightened .to lock .the drum attachment member 21 in the desired pivoted position. The claws 34 and 35 are inserted around 'andjbehind the respective drum keys or, T-heads 19. After the drum anchor 10 islaid upon 7 the platform 111,;t'he pedestal of the sto ol'12 may then be inserted into the opening 24 of the stool attachment member 20.

If deSil'd, 'th 6'StO0lj 12 may be'spaced toward or away from the drum 13 by loosening and removing the nutsj29, inserting thebolts 27 into the corresponding v the stool attachment me mbe r20, or the bolts 27 could be fixed to the bridge member 22 depend through corresponding holes in the stool attachment member 20,ifdesired. i

vided with an open-end circular slot 61 and pivot bolt holes 62 identical to slot 42 and the coresponding hole for the pivot bolt 37 in the drum anchor l0. Pivot bolt 63 extends through pivot hole 62 and is held in place by a nut, not shown,,while locking bolt 64 extends through I the arcuate slot 61 and is held in place by awin'g nut 65.

Accordingly, the drum anchor 50 performs substantially in the same manner as the drum anchor 10, but with more versatility for supporting a pair of drums in various longitudinal and pivotally adjusted positions relative to a stool such as 12.

By lengthening the adapter plate 55 and providing in additional bolts, bolt holes and circular slots, additional tachment member 21 swings to its extended position, in

If the drum l3is not located at the desired angle or attitude relative to the drum stool- 12, the drum attachment member 21 may be easily pivotally adjusted about the pivot, pin 37 by loosening thewing nut 44, turning the armattachment member21 relative to the bridge member 22 and re-tightening the wing nut 44.

' ln'the modified drum anchor disclosed in FlG. 5, apair, of drumsmay beattached in any desired pivotal or longitudinal relationship with a stool such as 12 The drum. anchor 50- includes a single stool v attachment member 20, the connecting end of which is secured by nuts and bolts 27 to the middle portion of an adapter plate 55. The'extremities of the adapter plate are provided ,witha pivot bolt 56 and an'arcuate' slot 57.. Each pivot bolt 56 is adapted to be inserted through one of the bolt holes 58 in each of the bridge members 59. A, guide bolt s'uchas 60 may be fixed in each bridge" membe r59 to extend through and ride-in -a guide slot 57. The opposite end of each bridge member 59 is' proan elongated flat bar, s'aid'connecting means compris-,

drum attachment members 68 and bridge members 59 could be employed for supporting additional drums.

What is claimed is: 1

1., A device for supporting a stool and a musicalinstrument in spaced relationship upon a platform, comprising: Q 1

a. a stool attachment member adapted to rest upon the platform, having means for receiving a leg of the stool, and having an end portion remote from said leg-receiving means, 7

. an instrument attachment member adapted to rest upon the platform, having means for attachment to said instrument, and having an end portion remote from said attachment means a bridge member adapted to overlap'said end 'por- .tions,

. connecting means connecting said'bridge membe to one of said end portions,

e. swivel means connecting said bridge member to .said other end portion for relative pivotal movement in a plane parallel to the platform when said stool attachment member and said instrument attachment member are resting on the platform,

and, v t f. locking means for locking said'swivel meansin adjusted pivotal positions. 2. The invention according to claim 1 in which said connecting means comprises means for connecting said 7 instrument attaching means comprising a hook on a free end of each forked arm. adapted to be connected to any pair of spaced keys.

5. The invention according to claim 3 in which said stool attachment member comprises a single elongated flat bar, the endportion of said instrument attachment member; being flat, and said bridge member comprising 'attach'to said drum at spaced apart locations-.- 1 Q I claim 3 in which said' ing mating openings through said bridge member and the end portion of said stool attachment member, and bolt means extending through said openings and adapted to secure said overlapping portions in longitudinal adjusted fixed positions.

6. The invention according to claim Sin which said swivel means comprises a pin pivotally connecting said bridge member to the end portion of said instrument attachment member, said locking means comprising wing nut means connecting said bridge member and the end portion of said instrument attachment member.

7. The invention according to claim 6 in which said wing nut means comprises a threaded bolt fixed'in the end portion of said attachment member spaced from said pivot pin, a circular slot having said pivot pin as its center and receiving said bolt for free relative circular movement in said circular slot, and a wing nut threadedly engaging said bolt for tightening said bridge member against said instrument attachment member.

8. The invention according to claim 7 in which said circular slot has an open end in an end portion of said bridge member. I

9. The invention according to claim 8 in which'said instrument attachment member is adapted to pivot substantially about said pivot pin so that said hooks and said leg-receiving means are adjacent the same end of said bridge member.

10.. The invention according to claim 1 further comprising two of said instrument attachment members and two bridge members, each of said bridge members being connected to an instrument attachment member and both of said bridge members being connected to said stool attachment member 'by said connecting means and said swivel means. 

1. A device for supporting a stool and a musical instrument in spaced relationship upon a platform, comprising: a. a stool attachment member adapted to rest upon the platform, having means for receiving a leg of the stool, and having an end portion remote from said leg-receiving means, b. an instrument attachment member adapted to rest upon the platform, having means for attachment to said instrument, and having an end portion remote from said attachment means, c. a bridge member adapted to overlap said end portions, d. connecting means connecting said bridge member to one of said end portions, e. swivel means connecting said bridge member to said other end portion for relative pivotal movement in a plane parallel to the platform when said stool attachment member and said instrument attachment member are resting on the platform, and, f. locking means for locking said swivel means in adjusted pivotal positions.
 2. The invention according to claim 1 in which said connecting means comprises means for connecting said one end portion and said bridge member to space said attachment members toward and away from each other in different adjusted positions.
 3. The invention according to claim 1 in which said musical instrument is a drum and said instrument attachment member has forked arms projecting from its end portion said attachment means being on each forked arm and adapted to attach to said drum at spaced apart locations.
 4. The invention according to claim 3 in which said drum has a rim with drum-tightening rods having enlarged keys projecting from the edge of said rim, said instrument attaching means comprising a hook on a free end of each forked arm adapted to be connected to any pair of spaced keys.
 5. The invention according to claim 3 in which said stool attachment member comprises a single elongated flat bar, the end portion of said instrument attachment member being flat, and said bridge member comprising an elongated flat bar, said connecting means comprising mating openings through said bridge member and the end portion of said stool attachment member, and bolt means extending through said openings and adapted to secure said overlapping portions in longitudinal adjusted fixed positions.
 6. The invention according to claim 5 in which said swivel means comprises a pin pivotally connecting said bridge member to the end portion of said instrument attachment member, said locking means comprising wing nut means connecting said bridge member and the end portion of said instrument attachment member.
 7. The invention according to claim 6 in which said wing nut means comprises a threaded bolt fixed in the end portion of said attachment member spaced from said pivot pin, a circular slot having said pivot pin as its center and receiving said bolt for free relative circular movement in said circular slot, and a wing nut threadedly engaging said bolt for tightening said bridge member against said instrument attachment member.
 8. The invention according to claim 7 in which said circular slot has an open end in an end portion of said bridge member.
 9. The invention according to claim 8 in which said instrument attachment member is adapted to pivot substantially 180* about said pivot pin so that said hooks and said leg-receiving means are adjacent the same end of said bridge member.
 10. The invention according to claim 1 further comprising two of said instrument attachment members and two bridge members, each of said bridge members being connected to an instrument attachment member and both of said bridge members being connected to said stool attachment member by said connecting means and said swivel means. 